President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed the future of global education at the center of the international agenda, issuing a strong directive that quality learning must be treated as a universal human right and a public good, rather than a privilege reserved for the few.
Addressing world leaders at the SDG 4 High-Level Steering Committee Leaders Group Meeting at UNESCO Headquarters on Friday, the South African President warned that without urgent investment and structural reform, the world risks failing the most vulnerable communities. Ramaphosa, who co-chaired the session alongside the UNESCO Director-General, described education as the “bedrock and enabler” of the entire Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework.
“SDG 4 occupies a unique position in that it is the bedrock and the enabler of the other SDGs,” Ramaphosa stated. “It is a catalyst for expanding human capability, unlocking opportunity, and delivering progress across the full ambition of Agenda 2030.”
Combating Global Crises Through Learning
The President highlighted that the global education sector is currently navigating a storm of mounting challenges, ranging from armed conflict and pandemics to deepening poverty, inequality, and the escalating climate crisis. He argued that inclusive and equitable education is the primary mechanism for fostering resilience in the face of these disruptions.
To achieve this, Ramaphosa outlined that the committee’s work is anchored in three strategic priorities:
- Foundational and lifelong learning: Ensuring strong literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills.
- Strengthening the teaching profession: Capacitating teachers with necessary resources and support.
- Inclusive digital transformation: Preparing learners for the economies of the future.
“Digital transformation in education is a non-negotiable if we are to adequately prepare today’s learners for the workplaces, economies and societies of the future,” he asserted.
A New Blueprint for Financing
A significant portion of the President’s address focused on the urgent need to “fix the way education is financed.” He welcomed the Sustainable Financing Pathways recently endorsed by a coalition including the Global Partnership for Education, UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, and G7 partners.
Ramaphosa described this initiative as a “country-owned blueprint” designed to shift the sector away from fragmented aid toward credible, long-term fiscal frameworks. He emphasized that closing the funding gap will require leveraging domestic resources, aligning private capital with national priorities, and utilizing innovative instruments such as debt-for-education swaps.
However, he also issued a stark warning regarding internal governance, noting that corruption, poor planning, and financial mismanagement continue to “whittle away” scarce resources that should be invested in learners.
Listening to the Next Generation
Looking beyond the current 2030 deadline, Ramaphosa noted that preparations for the post-2030 global education agenda are already underway, driven by extensive consultations with the youth. He revealed that inputs from 20,000 young people across 95 countries have highlighted critical demands for improved access, mental health support, flexible learning pathways, and meaningful participation in decision-making.
“Resilience, financing and the post-2030 agenda are streams travelling towards one destination,” Ramaphosa explained, calling for systems that can anticipate disruption and adapt with equity.
In his closing remarks, the President urged Member States and partners to move beyond rhetoric, calling for risk-informed policies, gender-responsive planning, and the treatment of young people as “co-creators” rather than mere beneficiaries.
The high-level engagement in Paris forms part of President Ramaphosa’s official working visit to France, which also includes bilateral discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron.
